Officials said as of Jan. 1, regular hunting and fishing licenses will be computer-generated and printed by the agent on regular paper, just as licenses purchased online or at stores are done now.

More than half of hunting and fishing licenses sold in N.H. are currently purchased online or at stores that use an automated system.

New Hampshire is one of the few remaining states where regular licenses are hand-written.

A handful of agents around the state are already using the new point-of-sale system as part of a pilot project that began in August, and things are going well, according to Fish and Game Licensing Supervisor Sue Perry.

When 2014 hunting and fishing licenses become available in mid-December, all Fish and Game license agents will be issuing hunting and fishing licenses via the automated system.

Hand-written licenses will no longer be available after the 2013 license year ends.

One change under the new system is that, starting with the 2014 licenses, a $2 transaction fee will be charged per license form.

This fee will go to the vendor, Sovereign Sportsman Solutions, for the automated system to cover the cost of its operation, just as online license buyers currently pay a transaction fee.

The department contends the new automated system offers many benefits.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department will gain faster access to critical license sales data, which can take months to get under the old system. It will also save on printing and shipping costs, since pre-printed license forms will not be needed.

For consumers, the license-buying transaction will be faster and easier. In many cases, their information will already be in the system.

Fish and Game license agents will find their administrative reporting is streamlined, because end-of-month reports will be computer-generated, saving them time and effort. They will save time on transactions at the counter, as well, aided by helpful "prompts" to assist them during license sales.

"This should be a positive change for everyone, because it will allow Fish and Game to operate more efficiently and effectively, using technology that has been adopted nationwide with positive results," said Perry.

For more information, and Frequently Asked Questions about the upcoming move to electronic license sales, visit wildnh.com/POS.

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